


Christmas and a Confession (song)

by pinkichor



Series: Seven and a Half Lives [3]
Category: GOT7
Genre: Christmas Decorations, Confessions, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Holidays, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mostly the comfort, Past Lives, Reincarnation, Tiny Angst, but like, still cameos by the cats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-12
Updated: 2017-12-12
Packaged: 2019-02-13 21:24:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12992811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkichor/pseuds/pinkichor
Summary: Jaebum wasn’t one to really hype up the holidays. He was fine with making the apartment a little cozier with softer string lights and a medium sized fake tree in the corner by the sliding door, decorating it with an average amount of ornaments.But the one thing he had learned to stay far, far away from, was tinsel.





	Christmas and a Confession (song)

**Author's Note:**

> yO guess who's back after their last final (for the quarter haha.) IT ME. ur boy 
> 
> so a couple things here. my friend A who came up with this au and graciously let me write it as the fluff it is created a [moodboard](https://twitter.com/dope_bbeom/status/939869568511762433) and [a playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzEnl4PXfRlf-5aTa7X3ZpCDxKXhz4GzI) so if you guys could show either of those some love too it would be amazing. it so soft i cry :((( 
> 
> so anyway here's that one holiday decorating piece you guys might like

It happened wildly and on accident, but once Jaebum said Jinyoung might as well just move in, Jinyoung didn’t _dis_ agree. Jaebum got rid of some of his old, under used things to make room for Jinyoung’s things and it all went so smoothly Jaebum kind of wondered if it was a dream. Or if there was a metaphoric storm ahead for them.

No one should get along this well or share a space that easily after having lived alone for so long. But perhaps Jaebum was just comfortable enough around Jinyoung, trusted him not to push boundaries.

Maybe they were just _meant_ to fit, and even knowing Jinyoung’s and his fated story, there was always still complex questions forming in Jaebum’s mind. It was an unknown of the kind he worried about. It wasn’t worrying about what he’ll make for dinner, but the worry about a past he wasn’t consciously apart of, and a future he knew nothing about. Would Jinyoung stay with him? Would they break up and cause a crack in the heavens and incur the wrath of the goddesses of fate?

Or would they actually _work_? Continuing to connect their differences like Legos until it built the house they lived in?

It was an emotional variable Jaebum was kind of nervous about.

 

~*~

 

Jaebum wasn’t one to really hype up the holidays. He was fine with making the apartment a little cozier with softer string lights and a medium sized fake tree in the corner by the sliding door, decorating it with an average amount of ornaments. 

But the one thing he had learned to stay far, _far_ away from, was _tinsel_.

They _were_ putting the fake tree together and fluffing it out, but once Jinyoung started trying to _chew_ the fake pine, Jaebum sent him away and made him go shopping for a few things like more ornament hooks, more hot cocoa and tea, and a new extension cord because the other one started shorting out. And Jinyoung returned with all of it, with the addition of a few snacks and new cat treats.

And fucking _tinsel_.

“Absolutely not,” Jaebum threw it back into the bag. “You’re taking this back.”

“But it was shiny and on clearance!” Jinyoung pouted.

Jaebum walked around their small dining table and took Jinyoung’s hands. “Jinyoung-ah, it’s dangerous for cats which means dangerous for _you_.”

Jinyoung glanced between their hands and the tinsel, and ultimately stole the tinsel. “They’re not going on the tree, okay? There’s probably some Pinterest thing I can do.”

Jaebum sighed. It was too late to go back to the store anyway, so he accepted the role of supervisor because he knew Jinyoung by now and him and tinsel would not be a safe combination. He set up the box of ornaments and hooks on the table, pulling the chairs away so the cats couldn’t jump up and attempt to eat the ornament hooks, or knock any of the ornaments off the table.

Most of the ornaments still had hooks, and Jaebum decorated the tree, while Jinyoung sat on the couch with his unopened tinsel, searching for a safe way to use it. “Hyung! Do you have clear ornaments?”

“A few?”

“Good,” Jinyoung moved to the table. He dug through the two boxes until he found the set of clear ornaments. Luckily, they were cheap enough where the tops came off somewhat easy, and he would glue them back on so they wouldn’t come apart just by hanging on a branch.

Jaebum watched him for a minute, how concentrated he was on prying the metal tops off carefully, eyes wide and lips pressed together, his cheeks puffing out just the slightest when one ornament didn’t want to cooperate. When he turned back to the tree, Kunta had already curled up under the tree. Nora stood by the couch watching Jinyoung, and when she meowed particularly loud, Jaebum stopped decorating.

Jinyoung was making spitting noises interchanged with a couple coughs.

He had tinsel in his mouth.

Jaebum silently grabbed the rest of the tinsel and threw it into the garbage, and Jinyoung wouldn’t be able to rescue any of it. “Hope it was worth it.”

He was silent, closed the ornament boxes and that bag of string lights that were meant to go around the television stand because his cats knew better than to bite at them, but he wasn’t so sure they’d be Jinyoung-proof. He brought them into the hall closet and would start again tomorrow. “Good night.”

“Already, hyung?” His tone was apologetic. The chair creaked when he stood, and he followed Jaebum into the bedroom. “I didn’t mean to.”

“Are you sure? Because sometimes it seems like you do it on _purpose_ , Jinyoung.” He tossed his long sleeve shirt into the hamper and didn’t bother to put another shirt on before sitting on the bed. “You’re _human_ , Jinyoung! Raised as one in this life. And yet you eat cat treats and _tinsel_ when I warned you.”

“It just _happened_! I know it’s complicated, okay? I’m _difficult_ and human and you aren’t my owner and I’m not a pet.” Jinyoung kneeled on the floor, elbows resting on the bed beside Jaebum. “But I remember _eight lives_ where I was.” He held Jaebum’s hand with both of his, kissing Jaebum’s knuckles softly, resting his forehead against them.

He inhaled until his chest couldn’t expand anymore.

Exhaled slowly.

“They were all _intense_ , hyung. Even wild animals raised domestically can snap because of instinct, right? It’s not how they’re meant to live. I wasn’t meant to live as a human. But I am one. And that doesn’t cancel out what I was supposed to be.”

Jaebum’s head fell back against the headboard. He sighed and gestured for Jinyoung to get up, scooting to the other side of the bed. Their hands didn’t separate. “Will you tell me?”

Jinyoung snuggled against Jaebum’s shoulder, Jaebum pulling his hand away to pet Jinyoung’s hair soothingly. “They’re not all good.”

But Jinyoung filled his lungs with safety, comfort, and _home_ and decided maybe he should tell Jaebum his stories.

He goes through it, jumbled and non-linearly; remembered dark and cold cobblestone beneath his raw paws, the sweltering heat of farmlands and chasing after any drip of water he could find. He toyed with flies and hid from crows, comforted a child born to screaming parents until the child screamed back. He knew the roar of an engine that had been too close for comfort, and watched a house burn down from the inside. He didn’t have a memory of escaping that one.

And then there was the boy of a different name, warmed him in winter, snuck a few treats into their routine and rolled around in the grass with him during summer. Jinyoung tried to eat the grass and a couple dandelions, but the boy laughed and lifted Jinyoung into his arms. Jinyoung wasn’t expecting it, and he accidentally scratched the boy’s hand with his claws. The boy set him down and Jinyoung didn’t go far, whining out a mew until the boy squat down and whispered forgiveness.

Jinyoung kept trying to stand on his hindlegs and the boy softly pet his nose and forehead, scratching behind his ear. Jinyoung rubbed his head against the boy’s hand, too, still sorry for clawing him on accident.

He overheard him trying to explain the wound to his mother, pushing it off on one of the other cats but she eventually found out; spread traps through the yard in _their_ favorite places and planned to take him to a shelter after catching him. And the first time he had seen the boy cry was when he found Jinyoung behind the shed and told him to leave.

The plan was to wait it out until it was clear Jinyoung wasn’t wandering around their house anymore, wait until the traps were gone. And then for some reason, Jinyoung never remembered being able to return.

He was always seeking affection and comfort, things to play with to pass the time and even here, there was no way he could get over that. Not after so many times of living by cat rules. On the streets or with families, Jinyoung always chewed on things he probably shouldn’t have because it looked fun or shined just right and he wanted to know what the shiny thing tasted like.

He couldn’t help it, really.

“See, so the human rules clash with cat rules and I end up in this weird…,” he waved his hand around above Jaebum’s chest, “grey area. I reminded myself not to eat the tinsel and then five seconds later, somehow, it was in my mouth.”

 Jaebum absently rubbed his thumb over the back of Jinyoung’s hand, unsure of which of them he was comforting. “So, you don’t act out on purpose.”

“Why _would_ I? _Young Man Choked to Death After Eating Tinsel,_ is not the headline I want for my eulogy.”

“Never know,” Jaebum shrugged as best he could while laying down.

Jinyoung rolled to support himself on Jaebum’s chest, pushing himself up to stare at him. “You really thought I was. Think I was testing to see how much you care or something?”

“You test me every day even without the cat thing,” Jaebum sighed, exhausted.

Jinyoung overexaggerated his gasp. “Only because Nora can’t tease you about your fashion, so I do it for her. She speaks through me.”

Jaebum flipped them over, Jinyoung’s back flat against the bed. “As if you’re one to talk about fashion.”

“Those slacks are the only comfortable clothes that fit my ass, okay?”

“And yet you own two pairs of skinny jeans I have seen you wear at least five times.”

“They’re exhausting to wear most days.” Jinyoung poked Jaebum’s side and he collapsed, half on top of Jinyoung.

“ _Fine_. Continue judging me with Nora.” He paused and said louder so she’d hear, “I’ll judge her when she starts shedding again after winter.” Jaebum moved off Jinyoung.

Jinyoung hit his chest. “This is why your cats like me more.” He twisted to click off the bedside lamp and rest his head in the dip of his shoulder, where it was before.

They watched the darkness for a while, Jaebum’s arm securing Jinyoung in place and Jinyoung tangling their legs together. He was about to fall asleep and then Jaebum asked, one more time, “It’s all an accident?”

Jinyoung yawned, leaned his head up to kiss Jaebum’s jaw. “I already know you care, hyung. I would never test you on that.”

Jaebum held Jinyoung tighter. “I believe you,” he whispered.

They exchanged soft goodnights, Jinyoung kissing Jaebum’s shoulder and Jaebum kissing Jinyoung’s hand again and when Jinyoung stopped nuzzling until he was comfortable, Jaebum fell asleep with a crushing warmth making his heart beat a little faster.

 

~*~

 

Jinyoung woke up before Jaebum did, and used the time to make breakfast. It wasn’t anything fancy, just come pancakes and eggs and coffee. And when he finished, swinging around the corner, he saw Jaebum sitting up with Odd situated in the space between his loosely crossed legs. It tugged at his heart, made him ache a little for something he already had.

And Jaebum spoke to Odd. Jinyoung strained to hear without re-entering the room in case it interrupted a moment. And it was a very, very, _very_ unwise decision.

“Maybe I should just tell him,” Jaebum sighed, petting Odd’s head. “It’s complicated. Thinking you’re in love is complicated,” he confessed.

Jinyoung accidentally let the coffee mug slip from his hand and nearly cried at the blessing it was to have hardwood in an apartment.

Jaebum immediately hopped out of bed and grabbed their Swiffer mop to clean the mess, checking that Jinyoung didn’t get burned anywhere. “I’m good,” Jinyoung’s voice cracked as if he just hit puberty. It was embarrassing and he was embarrassed about his embarrassment.

“You weren’t….I wasn’t….”

Jinyoung set the plate down and picked up the pieces of the broken mug. “It’s okay,” he said sheepishly. It wasn’t right of him to eavesdrop, anyway. But it was too late. So Jinyoung did the only thing he knew might make up for it. After tossing the broken porcelain away and Jaebum set the mop into the corner, Jinyoung brewed more coffee and said, “I think I love you, too.” He felt his face warm and somewhere behind him Jaebum faked a cough and dug the rest of the decorations out of the hall closet.

Breakfast was awkward, but finishing the rest of the decorating, they laughed and teased each other, feeling shyer than before when they held hands or stole cheek-kisses and nose-boops when the other wasn’t paying attention.

Jaebum thought maybe they’d continue to connect their differences like Legos into a house they’d be comfortable living in.

And every time Jinyoung smiled, laughed, and he saw those whiskers at his eyes and how he brightened, Jaebum wasn’t so nervous about it.

**Author's Note:**

> as always, thank you so sO MUCH for the comments and kudos and the couple ccs i got about this series omg. everything is so cute and i love all of it a lot and it really helped me for my last week of the quarter. Also this was supposed to have more angst in it i think but i started feeling bad after the initial first bit so it naturally went back to trying to find a fluffy understanding asudha rip 
> 
> i hope it was still okay and also if you guys have cats or dogs or any other similar pet definitely do not have tinsel within their reach like. at all. even if they don't choke on it, very very bad things happen if they ingest it. But if you're an animal owner you probably know this. auhdsahd anYWAY as usual leave whatever you want on[the twt](https://twitter.com/pinkichor) or [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/pinkichor) and thanks for reading!!


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